It is over between Fenerbahce and Jose Mourinho. Two days after shedding 1-0 within the second leg of their Champions League playoff in opposition to Benfica, the staff the place he began his teaching profession, the Portuguese supervisor has parted methods with the Turkish aspect, the membership introduced Friday morning. Mourinho took cost of Fenerbahce in the summertime 2024, completed in second place within the desk in 2024-25 season behind rivals Galatasaray and had been eradicated within the Spherical of 16 of the UEFA Europa League in opposition to Rangers following penalties. Solely two video games into the brand new league season (one win and one draw) and with Champions League elimination in opposition to Benfica confirmed, the membership and the Portuguese coach have determined to half methods, leaving the Turkish aspect solely days earlier than the top of the summer time switch window.
As with a lot of Mourinho’s tenures, his spell at Fenerbahce might be remembered not just for his outcomes, but in addition for his habits off the pitch. On April 2 he grabbed the nostril of Galatasaray head coach Okan Buruk after Fenerbahce had been knocked out of the Turkish Cup by their heated rival as Galatasaray gained 2-1, and some weeks earlier than that incident he was accused of racism by the identical Galatasaray when he used the phrase “monkeys” to explain the opponent’s bench. In his first and solely full season at Fenerbahce, Mourinho additionally accused the referees and Galatasaray of fraud and corruption within the league on a number of events, and that accusation led the Turkish FA to nominate a overseas referee for the heated derby later in February, which passed off with 30,000 law enforcement officials able to intervene on the sidelines of the RAMS Park, the house stadium of Galatasaray.
After teaching groups like Actual Madrid, Inter, Chelsea and AS Roma, Mourinho determined to affix the Turkish aspect however then didn’t qualify for the league part of the Champions League this season, a disappointment that led each events to finish their work relationship after just one season.
What’s subsequent for Mourinho?
After his Fenerbahce expertise we are able to anticipate the Particular One to return to one of many prime 5 European leagues, though possibly not till the summer time 2026. Earlier than shifting to Fenerbahce, he coached AS Roma from 2021 to 2024 the place he additionally gained the UEFA Convention League, nevertheless it’s unlikely to see him again teaching instantly within the Premier League or in one other prime European league within the quick time period, contemplating how early it’s within the season and what number of managerial adjustments occurred at many prime golf equipment this summer time. There’s one notable exception, after all. Rumors a couple of doable comeback at Manchester United will certainly improve within the coming days after the disappointing begin of the season beneath Ruben Amorim, nevertheless it’s troublesome to foretell the way forward for Mourinho, contemplating how unpredictable his newest selections had been when he joined AS Roma and Fenerbahce.
Regardless of saying a number of instances he is eager on nonetheless teaching a membership sooner or later, we should not rule out the opportunity of seeing him grow to be the supervisor of the Portuguese nationwide staff after the 2026 World Cup. The Portuguese FA wished to rent him in January 2023 after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, however the Particular One determined to remain at AS Roma and declined the chance. Portugal appointed Roberto Martinez and this summer time gained the 2025 UEFA Nations League, which implies the nation is actually not going to see one other managerial change forward of subsequent summer time’s World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico. If issues do not go in the correct route within the match subsequent summer time, Mourinho’s identify will certainly be again within the minds of the Portuguese FA to start out a brand new cycle that will even result in the 2030 World Cup that might be hosted by Portugal, Spain and Morocco.
